


Day One Hundred Seventy-Four || Recovery from ___

by 365daysofsasuhina



Series: 365 Days of SasuHina 2019 [174]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-24
Updated: 2019-06-24
Packaged: 2020-05-18 21:18:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19342834
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/365daysofsasuhina/pseuds/365daysofsasuhina
Summary: No matter how determined he is, Sasuke is human, and humans have limits. Good thing he wasn't alone at the training grounds that day.





	Day One Hundred Seventy-Four || Recovery from ___

He’s always pushed himself too hard.

Even before being given the ultimate goal of revenge, he strove to improve. Partly to impress his father, partly to fulfill his duty as a child of the clan head...but mostly? In all honesty? It was to make his brother proud. Prove that he could be helpful, useful, whatever Itachi would need.

How many hours and hours did he put into conquering Gōkakyū as quickly as possible? How many times did he run from the Academy to the training grounds, wanting to work on the power and aim of his kunai throws? He wanted, more than anything, to become a worthy shinobi. Of his clan, of his father, of his brother.

...and then...he lost all but the last.

And the last gave him a new purpose. Become the strongest shinobi...one that could, and would, defeat the man that slaughtered the Uchiha. Use the hate planted in his heart to burn away all other thoughts, all other goals...until Uchiha Itachi laid dead at his feet, his clan avenged and allowed to rest in peace.

Which is why now, in the last few weeks they have until they (hopefully) graduate from student to genin, Sasuke has spent every spare moment on the training grounds. Practicing his bukijutsu, his taijutsu, the list of ninjutsu Iruka had hinted would be necessary to pass. Because  _ nothing _ was going to stand in his way. He would ascend to the next level...and from there, continue to climb the ranks until he could hunt down and kill Itachi at last.

For the moment, he’s working on the former. Kunai and shuriken litter a trio of obliging posts, mostly centered as close to the middle of the target as possible. Several are scattered on the ground: the result of hitting the same mark twice and ricocheting off to the well-trod dirt. The sun is high, the Spring day abnormally warm. Having finished his latest volley, Sasuke stands post-throw, shoulders hunched, brow drenched in sweat, breath drawn through his mouth. He’s been at it since the morning hours, and it’s starting to catch up with him. On top of his early start, he forgot any kind of canteen for water. More than once now, he’s promised ‘just one more round’ before taking a break, always wanting to inch a little closer to perfection.

But no matter how stubborn Uchiha Sasuke is...he’s not immune to the needs of the human body. And with one last huff of breath...he collapses.

Blissful darkness.

Fortunately for him...he wasn’t alone at the grounds.

Next thing he knows, consciousness slowly swimming back to the surface, is...something cool on his face? With a great effort, Sasuke drags open his eyes. Above him, tree boughs sway gently in the breeze, lying beneath their shade. Dark irises, fogged with exhaustion and a fair amount of confusion, stare up into the leaves, almost hypnotized by their movements.

“Um...Sasuke-kun?”

Slowly, he rolls his head to one side. Sitting next to him on her knees, hands nervously balled against their caps, Hyūga Hinata looks to him worriedly. “...what…?”

“Thank goodness you’re awake…” she murmurs, heaving a small sigh of relief. “I saw...I saw you collapse! I tried to find help, but...everyone else had - had gone! So I brought you over here, to the shade, and...put a cool cloth on your b-brow. How, um...how do you feel…?”

There’s a vague recognition of her as she rambles. Part of his Academy class. Wallflower. Part of another so-called ‘royal’ clan of Konoha, the Hyūga. They also possess powerful eyes. The Byakugan. But so far, she’s proved to be nothing special. All he  _ has _ noticed about her is her hanging around that blond knucklehead Naruto.

Of course…‘around’ is a relative term. She rarely manages to get very close before getting all flustered and nervous. It’s obvious enough what’s going on, but...in all honesty, Sasuke hasn’t been able to care. He’s far too busy to really consider the details...even if he can’t help but notice them.

Slowly, he tries to sit up, ignoring her sudden blustering about ‘pushing himself too fast’. Bracing up on a palm, he reaches the other to feel at the clean rag along his forehead. Gripping it, he gives it a stare, still rather loopy and just...fixating on it.

“Um...d-do you need some water? You seemed rather dehydrated, but...I-I didn’t want to try to help you drink until you woke up…”

“ter…”

“W...what?”

“Water,” he croaks, throat horribly dry. As she hands over a canteen, he doesn’t hesitate to start downing it.

“Oh, b-be careful not to drink too fast, Sasuke-kun! You might make yourself - you might puke!”

Forcing himself to stop, he takes a gasping breath, forearm guard wiping at his chin. Gods, water’s never tasted so good.

All the while, Hinata remains kneeled beside him, anxiety still lingering as she watches for any further symptoms. “W-well, you... _ seem _ to be feeling better. Are you...do you need anything else?”

“I’m fine.” The reply is mostly reflexive. He doesn’t need anything. Anyone. All he  _ needs _ is to keep up his training. Which he’s going to do now that he’s had a rest -

“W-wait!” Shadowing him as he moves to stand, the little Hyūga lifts hands as he staggers to one side. “Sasuke-kun p-please - you really should -”

“Stop telling me what to do,” he growls, half-heartedly making to push her aside.

“But -?”

“I don’t need your help! I just...need…” 

“Y-you’re going to pass out again!” she insists, stamping a tiny foot in a rare show of determination.

Sasuke, however, doesn’t heed it. “Go home, Hyūga. If you’re not here to train, you’re in the way…”

“Sasuke-kun,  _ please _ \- you’re going to hurt yourself!”

“Doesn’t matter.”

“It  _ w-will _ matter when you get hurt even worse, and it takes even longer to heal!” She jogs out in front of him, trying to plead her case. “...please. Just...take a little time to rest. You can - you can get back to it tomorrow. If you try to train now...you’ll only get further behind!”

The Uchiha just scowls, making to push her again. But to his surprise...she smacks his arm with the butt of her hand. With chakra. The tenketsu beneath the skin numbs, and his limb lays against his side, useless.

They both stare at it.

“...what...did you just do…?”

Suddenly looking afraid, she retreats half a step. “It...it’s the Jūken. My f-family’s specialized t-taijutsu. With our eyes, we see the chakra system...and we can - we can block it. I...I don’t want to hurt you!”

“My arm, it’s -!”

“I-it will wear off in an hour or so! But Sasuke-kun…” She hesitates, a hand curling at her chest. “I - I’m serious! If you push yourself now, you’ll o-only regret it later! I know...I know why you’re training so hard. We all do. But -”

“You don’t know  _ anything _ ,” he spits back, pointing at her with his good arm.

“...maybe I don’t know a...a lot of things,” Hinata admits quietly, softly, gently. “...b-but...we’re worried about you, you know.”

“...we?”

“All of us…! Your c-classmates! At least...those of us who p-pay attention. You’re going to hurt yourself, Sasuke-kun. And if...if something happens to you - if your body gives out when you push it too far - then...w-who will be left to fight for  _ them _ …?”

He stares at her. Why does she care…? And how does she know so much? Is it that obvious?

Not getting an answer, her fingers fiddle nervously. “...I’m sorry I s-struck your arm. But...I had to do something. Your body was in v-very poor shape when I found you! And...it’s not yet r-ready to train again. You have to give it time to heal...o-okay?”

Her last words resonate something he’s often told, and Sasuke glances aside. In truth...she’s making perfect sense. But sense isn’t what he needs...he needs results! The risks don’t matter...only the results…

...but…

Seeing him think, Hinata quiets for a time. “...if...i-if you need a spar partner, I - I could help you. I’m not the best, but...well, I need the extra training. If I want to beat my sister, I…” Her tone fades to silence, and Sasuke doesn’t pry.

“...sure.”

“R...really?”

“Yeah, just...don’t do that to my arm again,” he mutters, shrugging the limp limb.

Hinata goes pink. “I...I-I won’t. But...if I promise that, then...will you promise to give yourself t-time to rest…?”

“...hn.”

Blinking, she watches him retreat to the posts, moving to pick up the tools. “...oh! Let me help you, um…” It’s her fault he only has one hand at the moment, anyway. He’ll need to recover from the Jūken strike before he can even think of controlling his fingers. Once they’re finished, she gives a sheepish glance. “I, um...I was going to come back here tomorrow. Maybe...we could spar…?”

“Yeah, I’ll be here.”

“O...okay! I’ll - I’ll see you then! And please...get some rest, ne?”

He just waves her off, watching her gather her things from beneath the tree before scurrying back toward the village.

_...what a weird girl. _

Of course...he likes weird a fair share better than normal. The normal ones drive him nuts. 

Looking to his pack of throwing weapons, he seems to think for a moment before heading back home. He’ll need to be rested if he’s going to spar with the Jūken.

**Author's Note:**

> V v v tired, so I'll be brief.
> 
> A wee fluffy moment between Hinata and Sasuke. Doesn't really have any plot weight, just...random fluff, lol - I like the concept of them training together. Hinata could have grown a lot, and Sasuke maybe could have learned some patience.
> 
> Oh well, a girl can dream .-.
> 
> Buuut on that note, my eyeballs are screaming, lol - time to go. Thanks for reading!


End file.
